Deodorant vs Antiperspirant

Which should you use?

Did you know, there's a difference between deodorant and antiperspirant? No! well that's ok, lots of people think they are just different names for the same thing.

So, what's the difference? Well, to put it very simply, a deodorant is designed to stop the odour whereas an antiperspirant temporarily blocks your body from sweating.

In fact antiperspirants are actually classed as an over the counter medication because they affect the physiology of the body.

Let's take a closer look.

Here's a rundown of just some of the most common ingredients found in antiperspirants.

Aluminum- this is the active ingredient and it comes in many forms depending on the finished product. Here's how it works. The aluminum particles are absorbed into the cells that line the sweat ducts. Once there, the aluminum makes the sweat too thick to be excreted from the body. Effectively, it becomes a gel like plug that blocks the sweat duct. Many of the skin irritations or allergies to antiperspirants are caused by aluminum.

Parabens- a large group of chemicals coming under many different names, they act as a preservative. The David Suzuki Foundation lists parabens on their "Dirty Dozen" list and the European Commission on Endocrine Disruption lists parabens as a "priority" substance based on evidence that they may interfere with hormone production. Health Canada is currently conducting an assessment of parabens and a draft publication is expected later in 2019.

Mineral Oil- A by-product of the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. It is known to clog pores, has no benefits to the skin and may contain contaminants.

Fragrances-these artificial scents may be made up of hundreds of individual chemicals which do not have to be listed as individual ingredients making it impossible to know what is in them. By comparison all natural scents (essential oils) must be listed in the ingredients.

We believe nature knows best. Our natural deodorant won't block your pores - yes we're gonna let you sweat! Why! because that's what your body is designed to do to keep it in healthy balance, it helps eliminate toxins, regulates fluid and mineral salt balance and keeps your body at the optimum temperature.

First you're going to need to unclog those pores (remember the gel plug we mentioned) so give your pits a really thorough wash and exfoliate to get rid of the aluminum build up - it will take some work so repeat this a couple of times.

The next step will depend on your individual body chemistry. Some folks go "Cold Turkey" and go a few days with no deodorant at all just more frequent washing with soap and water and then start with the natural deodorant. Others will go right into using the natural deodorant once they've done the cleaning process. For a very few people an Armpit Cleanse is needed and while that may sound like a chore, it's really simple and definitely worth it.

The Armpit Cleanse

Do the thorough clean as described.

After washing, leave your underarms a little damp and apply a dusting of aluminum free baking soda followed by the natural deodorant.

When you smell some odour beginning, wash with soap and water, apply the baking soda and deodorant again.

Repeat this process for up to 2 weeks or until the natural deodorant works for upto 6 hours. At first you may need to repeat the cycle several times a day but each day that will decrease and you'll soon be able to slick the natural deodorant on by itself.

The average person takes 4 to 7 days to complete the cleanse.

That's it, you're ready to slick on one of our natural deodorants - Yay! We have three to choose from and all are 100% natural with no aluminum, no parabens, no mineral oil and only pure essential oils for scent (they also bring their own therapeutic properties to the party).